This invention relates to an idler roll assembly and more particularly to an idler roll assembly for use with a troughing belt conveyor.
The upper run of belt conveyors is conventionally supported at its respective ends by pulleys and in between such end pulleys by a plurality of carriers. A carrier is a frame extending transversely of the conveyor belt that journals generally three rollers in end-to-end relationship. Generally the intermediate roller is disposed in a horizontal position while the outer two rollers are disposed at an upwardly inclined angle relative to horizontal plane to thereby give the upper run of the belt a troughing shape for the purpose of keeping the load centered on the belt.
It is the practice to provide a shaft for the idler roller of sufficient capacity and bearings of sufficient size to maintain as long a span between carriers as possible. It has been a problem where the loads imposed on the rollers is of sufficient size that it has become necessary to increase shaft size and bearing size. In many instances it is necessary to reduce the load to prolong the useful life of the idler roll assembly. In this instance, it is difficult to monitor the loadings and has therefore been necessary to increase shaft and bearing sizes. It is an object of the present invention to significantly improve idler roll assembly quality and capacity by increasing shaft rigidity without greatly increasing shaft and roll cost. The present invention accomplishes this task by utilizing a hollow shaft of a larger diameter than a given shaft and bearing size that indicated a problem with shaft rigidity yet by swaging the respective ends of such larger shaft to the given shaft and bearing size achieved over a quadrupling of shaft rigidity at a minimum of increase in cost. This procedure is considerably more desirable and advantageous than the heretofore practice of increasing both shaft and bearing size.